Support for containers



Aug. 31, 1948.

W. NISKANEN ET AL SUPPORT FOR CONTAINERS Filed April 18, 1947 l l l.lNVENTd/Z '-.MLuAm NKANEN ERNE Y L. CHmsToeRsoM @MMM Aomeu PatentedAllg. 31, 194s SUPPORT FOR CONTAINERS William Niskanen and Ernest L.Christofferson,

I. Minneapolis, Minn. L Application April 1B, 1947, Serial No. 742,324

i 7 Claims.

A particularly desirable feature of a structure of.l

this general nature is that it should be effective to rigidly supportthe container and yet be relatively simple in construction so that thecontainer can be easily removed from the structure for emptying andreturned to its secured position without ,requiring manipulation ofparts that would constitute a bothersome nuisance in either placingrefuse in the container or in removing the container from the supportfor disposal of the refuse.

Although-structures for this general purpose have been known in theprior art, they have not met with a high degree of commercial successfor the reasons they have either been too expensive to create populardemand, or they have been of :such a complex nature as to requiremechanical manipulation of parts in placing refuse in the container orremoving and replacing the container on the supporting structure.

In the present invention a standard is provided which is 'adapted to besunk into the ground and having an anchoring structure on the lower endof the standard to secure the same in the ground and prevent it frombeing pushed over or easily removed. Mounted on the standard are a pairof members for supporting and rigidly holding the container withrelation to the standard. In order to accommodate the structure tocontainers whose dimensions differ, the supporting members are madelongitudinally adjustable with relation to each other. One of themembers is intended to support the container about its base and to bearsubstantially all the weight of the container, while the other member isintended to engage a portion of the container, such as a handle thereon,to maintain the container in relatively rigid relationship with thestandard. A flexible member is carried on the upper end of the standardfor attachment to a removable cover forming a part of the container andserves to prevent the cover from being moved from the vicinity of thestandard.

An object of our invention is to provide a simple and effectivesupporting structure for a container to prevent the container from beingreadily upset by wind or animals.

Another object is to provide a container support having a pair ofmembers which engage a container at two spaced apart areas so as toprovide a relatively rigid support for the container.

Another object is to provide a container support having a first memberupon which the major portion of the weight of the container rests, asecond member for maintaining the container on the rst portion and athird member which is adapted to be attached to a removable top portionof the container,

Another object is to provide a container support having two memberswhich are adjustable with respect to each other so as to accommodate thesupport to containers whose dimensions differ.

A further object is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensivecontainer support which is adapted to be anchored into the ground andhaving two members mited thereon each of which has a grooved orhook-like portion for engaging different parts of a container so as tomount a container in a relatively rigid relationship with the supportend from which the container must be vertically lifted in order toremove it from the supporting members.

Other and further objects may become apparent from the followingdescription and claims, and

30 from the appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of our invention showing aconventional garbage can or the like mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of an upper supporting member shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a lower support member shown in Fig. 1;

Fig, 4 is a modification of the structure shown in Fig. l which isadapted to support a plurality of containers; and,

Fig. 5 is another modification of a structure shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the several views of the drawing, the invention will beexplained in detail.

General reference numeral I0 shows a container supporting structurehaving a standard I2 preferably formed of tubular material such as apiece of pipe. Adjacent its lower extremity standard I2 is provided withan anchor I4 which is shown in the form of a triangular piece of metalwhich may be fitted through a slot in standard I2 or welded on to thesides thereof. Standard I2 is adapted tobeunlg i nto the ground which ishere illustrated by the line indicated by reference numeralISalthou'ghkit will be understood that if I gils;

desired the standard could be mounted in a cement base or any otherconventional means to maintain it in an erect position from which itcoul'dot be easily pushed over or readily removed by vandals.

The structure is intended to provide a supporting means for a containersuch as a conventional sheet metal can I8 having a lower flanged edge I9and a pair of pivotally mounted handles 20.

and 2| secured to the opposite lateral surfaces of the container. Thecontainer is also provided with a conventional removable cover 22 havinga handle 24 thereon.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a lower supporting member indicated by thegeneral reference numeral 25 is mounted on standard I2. Member 25 isformed with a U-shaped member 26 which fits about standard I2 and issecured to the standard by conventional fastening means such as bolt 28.Secured to the forward edge of U shaped member 26'is a bracket 30 onwhich is mounted an angularly shaped abutment member 32.

. Jloined to the front end of bracket 38 in spaced relation to abutmentmember 32 so as to leave `a groove r3 1 is an arcuate member 43,6N Theimprtant features of member 25 are that the member is adjustable withrelationship to standard I2 as provided by bolt 2B, and the groove 34ard I2 so as to hold container I8 above the level of the ground.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, an upper supporting member indicated bythe general reference numeral 4I) is formed of a U-shaped member 42which is adjustably mounted on standard I2 and secured thereto at aspaced distance from member 25 by a bolt 44 so that a groove or hook yshaped member 46 on the front surface of U- shaped member 42 will engagea handle 28 of container I8 when the handle is in a raised position asshown in Fig. l.

Secured to the top of standard I2 as shown in Fig. l by a set screw 48is a plug or cap 49 to which is suitably joined a flexible memberslio'wnin the form of chain 58 which at its other end is suitably secured tohandle 24 of the removable cover 22.

Referring now to Fig. 4, is shown a modification of the structurepreviously described, which differs from the previously describedstructure in that it is provided for supporting two containers onopposite sides of the standard. The only difference between thisstructure and that shown in Fig. 1 is that the lower supporting memberindicated by general reference numeral 52 which would be supported onstandard I2 in the same manner as member 25, has brackets 30 and theircooperating parts positioned on the lateral sides of the U-shaped member26 rather than on the front of the U-shaped member 26 as shown 'in Fig.3. Likewise, the upper supporting structure indicated by generalreference numeral :54-has a pair of hooks 46 secured to the lateralsides of U-shaped member 42 rather than on the front edge thereof asshown in Fig. 2.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 4 nds particular utility for providingcontainers each of which contains a different type of refuse, or fordwellings occupied by two families where a. uniform appearance of therefuse containers will enhance the general appearance of the property.

Referring now to Fig. 5, is shown another modi cation of the structuredisclosed in Fig. 1. Here the standard indicated by general referencenumeral 60 is made up of a lower tubular member 62 having at its lowerextremity an anchor l4.

Securely mounted on one side of tubular member 62 as by welding or otherpermanent means is shown a lowwi'" supporting member indicated by thegeneral reference numeral 64, which is in all respects similar tosupporting member 25 except that the U-shaped member'26 and bolt 28 havebeen omitted and bracket 30 is permanently fas- ,l tened to tubularmem-ber 62. Member 62 is pro- 5 vided with a slot 66 adjacent its upperextremity whose purpose will be described hereinafter.

A tubular member 68 whose outer dimensions are less than the innerdimensions of tubular member 62 is telescopically slidable within member62. Member 68 is provided with a bolt 'I0 which slidably ts into slot 66and is secured in any desired position within slot 66 by means of awasher II and a nut 12. A hook shaped member 'I4 which is in allrespects similar t'o portion 46 of member 48 is permanently secured tomember 68 by welding or the like. The structure shown in Fig. 5distinguishes over that in Fig. l in that in place of obtainingadjustment between members 25 and 40 by sliding these members onstandard I2, standard 60 is made in a telescopic manner so that thedistance between member 64 and member I4 may be adjusted by slidablymoving member 68 with respect to member 62 and securing the two membersby the fastening means so that the weight of the container is borne bymember 64 and the handle of the container is held by hook 14.

In practice, any of the structures shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 areoperative in substantially the same manner. The containers I8 will restupon the supporting structures indicated by numerals 25, 52 and 64 whichmembers are intended to support substantially all of the weight of thecontainer and the handles 2U or 2| will be engaged in the upper hookshaped portions 46 or 14 whose purpose is to maintain the upper portionof the container in a relatively rigid relationship with respect tostandards I2 or 68. When the container is to be emptied, the lid 22 isremoved, but because it is secured by chain 50 it cannot be lost orstolen. Thereafter, by grasping the outer handle 2I with one hand andthe base of the container with the other hand, the container may bevertically lifted off the supporting structure. On returning thecontainer to the structure the abutment 32 serves to guide flange I5into slot 34 and handle 2D may be lifted to catch it on to the hookshaped portion 46 or 14.

The advantages of our invention are that a container may be rigidly heldon a supporting structure in such a manner that it will not be blownover or knocked over by either wind or animals causing the contents tobe spilled upon the ground. Furthermore, the construction is such thatit invites the cooperation of persons charged with the disposal ofrefuse inasmuch as the container may be returned to its rigidlysupported position without requiring an unnecessary amount of effort.Still further, the structure is relatively simple and will enhance theappearance of property since it provides a neat and orderly manner ofarranging refuse containers.

As numerous changes may be apparent to those v i i skilled in the art,we do not wish to be restricted to the illustrations shown, but ratherto the full extent of the appended claims.

Wegalaim: l

l. A"'container support embodying a unitary standard which is adapted tobe anchored in the ground and a pair of supporting members ad- `iustablymounted with relation to each other on said standard, fone of saidmembers having an upwardly extending grooved portion for engaging alower peripheral flange of a container, and the other of said membershaving a. stationary hook portion for engaging a handle portion of saidcontainer.

2. A container support comprising, a unitary standard adapted to bemounted in vertical rigid relationship with the ground, a iirst membercarried by said standard, said member extending at right anges to thestandard and being formed with an upturned hook-shaped groove forengaging a rst lateral portion of a container and supporting the entireweight of said container and its contents on said standard in spacedrelation to the ground, and a second member carried by said standard andextending at right angles thereto in vertically spaced relation to saidrst member for abutting a second lateral portion of the container andholding said container in substantially veitical alignment with thestandard;

3. A container support, comprising a standard adapted to be rigidlymounted in the ground, a rst member adjustably mounted on said standard,said member having portions extending rigidly at right angles on eitherside of the standard, each of said portions having an upwardly extendinggroove on its upper surface adapted to receive ra container handlewithin each of said grooves. a second member adjustably mounted on saidstandard in longitudinally spaced relation to said first member, saidsecond member having portionsI extending at right angles on either sideof said standardY each of said portions having an upwardly extendinggroove for receiving a peripheral flange extending from the lowersurface of a container, and an abutment extending upwardly from each ofsaid portions between the groove nd the standard for directing theiianged portion if the container into the groove.

4. A rzontainer support, comprising a tubular member' adapted to berigidly mounted in the grounda container support mounted on said tubularmember, consisting of an upwardly extending grocve for engaging aperipheral flange extending from the lower surface of a container andsupporting the container on the tubular member in spaced relation to theground, a member telescopicaliy slldable in said tubular member, a rigidup-turned hook mounted on said latter member for engaging a handleextending laterally from the outer surface of the container in such amanner as to hold the container against lateral movement on thecontainer support. and fastening means cooperable between said tubularmember and said latter member for securing said members in adjustablyspaced relation to each other.

5. A garbage can support, comprising a unitary standard adapted to bemounted in vertical rigid relationship with the ground, a stationaryupturned hook-shaped member extending at right angles from the standardfor engaging a rst lateral portion of a garbage can and supporting saidcan on said standard in spaced relation to the ground, and an abutmentextending from the standard in vertically spaced relation to thehookshaped member for engaging a second lateral portion of the can andholding the can on the hook-shaped member in vertical alignment with thestandard.

6. A garbage can support comprising, a unitary standard adapted to bemounted in vertical relationship with the ground, a first member securedto the standard and extending at right angles thereto, said memberhaving a groove formed in its upper surface to receive a portion of aperipheral flange extending from the lower surface of a garbage can insuch a manner as to support the can in spaced relation to the ground, avertically extending abutment secured to said first member on one sideof the groove for guiding the flange into the groove, and a secondmember secured to the standard in vertically spaced relation to 'the rstmember, said second member having an up-turned stationary hook forengaging a handle extending from a lateral surface of the container.

7. A container support, comprising a standard adapted to be mounted invertical rigid relationship with the ground, a pair of longitudinallyspaced apart supporting members carried by said standard. one of saidmembers having a stationary upturned vertically grooved surface forreceiving and holding a portion of a container on the standard above thesurface of the ground in such a manner as to require vertical movementof the container for releasing the same from said member, the other ofsaid members having a pair of laterally diverging arms for engaging thecontainer on its outer surface at an area vertically spaced from thefirst member to maintain the container substantially rigid and againstlat-I eral movement with respect to the standard.

WILLIAM NISKANEN. ERNEST L. CHRISTOFFERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date s .ff 598,862 Donica Feb. a,139e!a b'/f if* 1,617,139 Szymczak Feb. 8, 1927 f n 1,837,411 CutterDec. 22, 1931 fj-r 1,842,210 Scruton Jan. 19, 1932 a y; 2,295,909 MasseySept. 15, 1942 A ,f 2,409,326 wargo .oct. 15, 1945 /f .f ..3- 2,430,672Gandrud Nov. 11, 194'?.l ,if y

